A dog-walker in Tennessee helped lead investigators to the discovery of unidentified remains of three young children in a case that Memphis’ police chief is calling “disturbing.”
The Memphis Police Department revealed Wednesday that an investigation has been ongoing since March 8 after the remains of the children, believed to be between the ages of 3 and 7 years old, were found in an area near a church and elementary school.
“Someone knows of missing children that we have discovered in this area,” Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis said. “This is heartbreaking, it’s disturbing and at this time we have numerous resources to help us to identify these young people and bring closure to this investigation.”
Davis added that authorities suspect the bones, which were found in a “heavily vegetated area,” have been there for a few years and there “is no indication of any active threat to our public.”
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The Memphis Police Department released photos of investigators searching through the woods.
“The operation involves approximately 170 personnel and is being carried out in collaboration with the Shelby County Medical Examiner’s Office, with assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, federal partners, and the Memphis Fire Department,” the department said in a statement. “Investigators are conducting a systematic and methodical search of a defined area between Ridgeway Road and Winchester Road in an effort to locate additional evidence.”
Police say the investigation began on March 8 after an anonymous caller “reported a possible human skull near a wooded area” and “responding officers located what appeared to be a human skull at the edge of the woods.”
A few days later, “cadaver K9 units alerted to a nearby drainage pipe, indicating the possible presence of additional human remains,” police said.
On April 1, investigators found what “appeared to be an additional skull” inside the drainage system, and the following day, “search teams conducted another coordinated canvass, resulting in the recovery of fourteen additional bones consistent with human remains,” Memphis police also said.
“Identification is ongoing, and investigators are working to determine both the identities of the individuals and the circumstances surrounding their deaths,” police added.
Laquita Singleterry, a local parent, told FOX 13 Memphis that the discovery is “really heartbreaking.”
“And I really hope they find out who they belong to,” she said.
“I feel sorry for those children,” added parent Tonya Richmond. “It’s really sad that it happened in the community right across from a school… someone would dump children.”
